Netball President Wants YMCA Closed

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President of the Antigua and Barbuda Netball Association (ABNA) Karen Joseph has called on the Ministry of Sports to close down the YMCA Sports Complex until the appropriate management for the facility is put in place. Joseph, who was a guest on the Good Morning JoJo Sports Show, shared her opinion on what measures should be taken to ensure the upkeep of the popular sporting facility.

“To me, lock down YMCA until it is managed properly because it would hurt me to see that YMCA goes back to the state it was, so lock it down until it’s run in a proper way,” Joseph said. The complex was most recently refurbished in preparation for hosting the Jean Pierre Under-16 Netball Championships. According to Joseph, it would be a waste of money for the government to continue spending on major repairs to the complex, so she is calling on the public to also play a part.

“For us to repair every four or five years would be a waste of the government’s money so we have to take responsibility as a country and as a sports department to really have proper maintenance and security to deal with the building. “You cannot have children go there day after day for sports and cannot use the bathroom. We have to seriously think about our youths and moving forward with certain aspects of the sport, [and] sports in general.”

The former national netballer further noted her hopes of getting a new playing surface and covered facility for netball, like the one at JSC Sports Complex. “That is my dream and I tell my executive members all the time that I may have to probably get to Dubai to find some rich sports guy to help Antigua’s netball. My goal is to get a covered surface at some point in the future. It will only enhance the sport of netball and [also be easier on] the girls – their feet, their knees,” added Joseph.

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